Bucknum

The name Bucknum is a locational surname, meaning it was derived from a place name. It is believed to originate from a place called 'Buckenham' in Norfolk, England. The name 'Buckenham' itself is composed of the Old English elements 'bucca' (meaning 'buck' or 'male deer') and 'ham' (meaning 'homestead' or 'settlement'). Over time, as people moved from this location, they adopted the place name as their surname, which then evolved into variations like Bucknum.

Surnames became necessary in England around the 11th to 14th centuries to distinguish individuals as populations grew. Locational surnames were very common, often indicating where a person or their ancestors lived or owned land. The 'num' ending is a common phonetic alteration of 'ham' in some regional dialects or through transcription errors over centuries.